Irons Clinches Surfing Title

Andy Irons of Princeville, Hawaii, clinched the Assn. of Surfing Professionals’ world championship Tuesday despite failing to advance past the quarterfinals of the Rip Curl Cup at Sunset Beach on Oahu.

Luke Egan of Australia was the only threat to Irons in the standings but also failed to advance in eight- to 10-foot waves at the famous North Shorebreak.

“It was drama enough for me,” said Irons, 24, an eight-year pro and winner of three of 11 ASP World Championship Tour events this year. “It still hasn’t sunk in yet but I’ll be in a total daydream when it does and I can’t wait.”

Irons became the third surfer from Hawaii to win the world title, the first since Sunny Garcia in 2000. Derek Ho won the title in 1993.

The 12th and final WCT event -- and the third leg of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing -- the Xbox Pipeline Masters, will begin Sunday.

The winner of the Rip Curl Cup was Joel Parkinson of Australia.

-- Pete Thomas

Miscellany

Former NFL running back Jason Brookins was one of one 23 people arrested in a drug raid early Tuesday in Mexico, Mo.

Brookins, who played for Baltimore last season and was waived by the Green Bay Packers in August, was charged in a criminal complaint with two counts of sale of marijuana, said Randy England, an assistant prosecutor in Audrain County.

In addition to Brookins, 13 others were charged with selling marijuana and four face charges for selling cocaine.

Brookins rushed for 551 yards in 151 carries for the Ravens last season.

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Nebraska Athletic Director Bill Byrne will leave the school to take the same position at Texas A&M;, he said.

“I thought I could try my hand one more time at building a program,” said Byrne, who came to Nebraska in 1992 from Oregon. “It’s going to be extremely hard to leave, but I look forward to the challenges.”

Among Byrne’s first duties with the Aggies will be hiring a football coach to replace R.C. Slocum, who was fired Monday.

Byrne’s announcement came during a news conference that punctuated an already tumultuous week at Nebraska after the firings of three assistant football coaches after the team fell to 7-6.

Byrne, 57, replaces Wally Groff with the Aggies.

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University of Cincinnati Athletic Director Bob Goin received a two-year contract extension through 2005.

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Lleyton Hewitt and Serena Williams were honored as world champions for 2002 by the International Tennis Federation.

Hewitt won the award for the second straight year, and Williams was honored for the first time.

Hewitt captured his first Wimbledon title and earned the season-ending No. 1 ranking for the second straight year by retaining his Masters Cup title in China last month.

The men’s doubles world champions are Mark Knowles of the Bahamas and Canada’s Daniel Nestor. The women’s doubles award went to Argentina’s Paola Suarez and Spain’s Virginia Ruano Pascual.

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Greco-Roman wrestler Tipton Peterson of Quantico, Va., was suspended from competition for two years after testing positive for steroids.

Peterson, 28, initially tested positive at the World Team Trials on June 23 in St. Paul, Minn., for an elevated testosterone/epitestosterone ratio, and subsequently was positive in three out-of-competition tests in July, August and September for methandienone and stanzolol, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency officials said.

The suspension was effective Aug. 8 and will be carried out by USA Wrestling. Peterson also will be disqualified from his fourth-place finish at the World Team Trials in the 211.75-pound weight division.

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The British Open will return to Hoylake in 2006 for the first time since Roberto De Vicenzo won the tournament in 1967.

The Royal & Ancient Club of St. Andrews said Tuesday the Royal Liverpool Golf Club will stage the 135th Open from July 20-23.